528 ISLAND OF OMBAI. 



ward direction ; so that, from the Caroline Islands to the Marquesas, 

 and from the Sandwich Islands to New Zealand, they constitute a 

 sufficiently homogeneous race, the Polynesians or Kanaka* This 

 race is represented in the Sandwich Islands by an almost white 

 variety, whose type very closely approaches the Caucasian race ; in 

 New Zealand, on the other hand, by tribes of a dark brown. In the 

 island of Ombai', situated at the extremity of that vast archipelago 

 which seems in some remote age to have formed an isthmus connect- 



HOVAS OF MADAGASCAR MEN, WOMAN, AND CHILD. 



ing the Australian with the Asiatic continent, the natives are of a 

 more or less decided olive-brown. Their eyes are deep-set and bril- 

 liant, their lips thick, the mouth is large, and the nose generally flat, 

 yet sometimes tolerably well made. They are of medium height, 

 robust, and good figures. They wear a scanty beard, if any ; but 



* In the language of the Sandwich Islanders. Kanak or Kanaqve signifies " a man." 



